Cape Comment - 06/30/07

CHOWDAH BOWL: Occasionally, an unusual nugget is scooped from the Chowdah Bowl:

"Do you want to see the Bear Cave?" The voice was like a tinkling bell. The spirited 3 1/2-year-old was wiggling her fingers in anticipation of leading the way to the cave.

"A bear cave?"

"Ye-s-s! It's a big hole in the woods, and that's where the bear lives. I showed it to Mommy and Daddy."

"OK. Now you can show it to me."

The little sweetheart took my hand and we proceeded to walk to the woods and to the Bear Cave.

"Nanna," she called back to the baby-sitting grandmom, "you take Michael." The 2-year-old brother, showing a smile as broad as the avenue we were strolling toward the woods, sang out happily, "We're going to the Bear Cave."

"Abby, when did you first find this bear cave?"

"One time I went with Mommy for a walk and we went into the woods, and there was this big hole in the ground and I said to Mommy, "Maybe a bear is living in there."

"Did you ever look into the hole? Did you ever see the bear?"

"No, no, I was scared, but I know it is a bear cave."

We reached the end of the avenue and entered the woods that virtually surrounded the area. Michael had a handful of stones and was pitching them here, there and everywhere.

"Are we near the Bear Cave yet?"

"A little more to go," the tinkle bell voice answered. About 20 yards into the woods, we stumbled onto a discarded broken tricycle.

"The bear smashed that," the tyke said. "He was mad."

Another 15 yards or so, and there it was -- the Bear Cave! A huge hole dug into a mound of dirt.

"Wow! I don't see him. Maybe he's out looking for food. I don't think we should wait."

Nanna and Michael were trailing a few steps behind, Michael picking up pebbles and displaying his pitching prowess.

"See, I told you there was a bear cave," the tinkling voice said as we bid goodbye to the only bear cave in Hyannis and probably all of the cape.

Back from the trek into the woods, Abby shouted, "Mommy, Ed and Nanna saw the Bear Cave. Now he knows it's there."

A short while later, several miles distant from the woods and the cave, the talk over a chilled glass of beer was about a child and her fancy imagination at discovering a hole in a mound of dirt. Just as important was the heart-warming pleasure and experience and the feeling of complete peacefulness enjoyed by a senior-senior in the vastly different and beautiful world of a little girl.

Yes, Abby, I will always believe there is a Bear Cave. I saw it!

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Barnstable history buffs should know which town village at one time was the home of the Globe Hotel. Answer below . You're up there, Morris, if you ever played golf on the old Santuit nine-hole golf course.

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Newsquotes: "People in the parish are giving me lots of recipes for turtle stew and they are giving me all kinds of turtles." -- The Rev. John Andrews of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Wellfleet on construction delay to protect turtles. (In The Cape Codder).

"It was a surprise." -- Town Administrator Pamela Nolan of Truro, discovering that Truro Police Department had run out of money. (In The Cape Cod Voice).

Press Speaks Out: " It's time for some tough decision making. The town (Provincetown) is at a crossroads. Are we to seek a diversified economy or not? Selectmen need to answer this question It's time for their answer." (Provincetown Banner).

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Query Answer: Barnstable Village; later named Barnstable Inn.

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Quotebook: "Do not resist growing old -- many are denied the privilege."